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CNC Operator
Skilled TradesYou program and operate computer-controlled machines that cut metal, plastic, and wood with robotic precision. You're part programmer, part machinist, and part babysitter for a machine that costs $500,000 and will destroy a workpiece in seconds if the code is wrong. One decimal point error and you've turned a $2,000 piece of titanium into scrap.
Salary Range
Low
$32k
Median
$45k
High
$65k
10-Year Growth
average
US Workers
200K
Education
Trade school certificate or associate's + CNC programming training
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸CNC machine operation (Haas, Mazak, DMG Mori)
- ▸G-code and M-code reading and editing
- ▸CAM software (Mastercam, Fusion 360, Esprit)
- ▸Tool offset and work coordinate setup
- ▸Precision measurement (micrometers, bore gauges)
- ▸First article inspection procedures
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Attention to detail
- ▸Process discipline
- ▸Problem-solving
- ▸Quality mindset
- ▸Mechanical aptitude
What you'll actually do
- 01Load G-code programs and set up workpieces with the precision of a surgeon and the anxiety to match
- 02Monitor machining operations and listen for sounds that mean something is about to go very wrong
- 03Adjust tool offsets and compensations to keep parts within tolerance
- 04Change cutting tools before they wear out — too early wastes money, too late destroys the part
- 05Inspect finished parts with calipers and micrometers because 'it looks right' isn't a measurement
- 06Debug CNC programs when the machine does something the simulation said it wouldn't
Related Shifts
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